Closing the Gender Gap in the Humanitarian Water, Sanitation And
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Closing the Gender Gap in the Humanitarian Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector in South Sudan Abridged Research Report The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As the UN Migration Agency, IOM works closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners to: (a) assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; (b) advance understanding of migration issues; (c) encourage social and economic development through migration; and (d) uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. RedR United Kingdom (UK) is an international charity that builds the knowledge and skills of individuals and organizations for more effective humanitarian action and acts to ensure disaster-prone communities are resilient by giving them practical life-saving skills, advice and support, which help them prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made disasters. Between 2010 and 2019, RedR UK improved the capacity of 57,726 humanitarian workers in 35 countries. The authors of this report are Kate Denman and Leigh-Ashley Lipscomb. Kate is an independent researcher and trainer working in international development and humanitarian practice, specializing in gender, inclusion, gender-based violence (GBV), capacity- building, and using creative participatory practices for attitudinal and behavioural change. Kate holds an MA in Education, Gender, and International Development and has worked in numerous countries, including the Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, India, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the United Republic of Tanzania, Sudan and South Sudan. Leigh-Ashley is a GBV specialist and humanitarian professional. Previously she was the GBV sub-cluster Coordinator in South Sudan from 2016-2017, collaborating with sub-cluster members and the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster (among other clusters) to enhance implementation of the Interagency Standing Committee GBV guidelines. This research was conceptualized, commissioned and guided by IOM South Sudan Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Unit; in particular by Catherine Hingley (GBV Specialist) and with special thanks for the support provided by WASH-GBV colleagues in Juba, Wau and Malakal offices. Thanks to the guidance and support provided by the South Sudan WASH Cluster and GBV Sub-Cluster coordinators at national and State levels. This publication has been produced by IOM within the framework of the project, ‘Humanitarian Assistance and Resilience in South Sudan (HARISS)’, funded by the UK aid Department for International Development (DFID). The DFID HARISS programme in South Sudan is one of the largest UK aid government responses to a single crisis to date. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of IOM or the British Government. Publisher: International Organization for Migration 17 route des Morillons P.O. Box 17 1211 Geneva 19 Switzerland Tel: +41 22 717 9111 Fax: +41 22 798 6150 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.iom.int This publication was issued without formal editing by IOM. Cover photo: Woman driller in Twic, Warrap State, South Sudan. ©IOM 2020 / Andreea CÂMPEANU © 2020 International Organization for Migration (IOM) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. PUB2020/048/R Closing the Gender Gap in the Humanitarian Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Sector in South Sudan Abridged Research Report Abstract This Cluster-wide study in South Sudan examines the gender gap in women’s participation in the WASH sector at leadership, technical and community levels, and identifies how to create better conditions for equitable participation to occur. The paper identifies barriers and good practice in South Sudan, and provides a list of key recommendations for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster and its members, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Sub-Cluster, individual agencies WASH Programmes, Human Resource departments and security advisors. This is an abridged version of the full report. Kate Denman, Leigh-Ashely Lipscomb on behalf of the International Organization for Migration and RedR United Kingdom (UK) Abridged version March 2020 Original report March 2019 Table of Contents Table of Contents i List of Acronyms i Introduction 1 Research Methods 2 Gaps 2 Barriers to Women’s Participation in WASH 3 1. Structural Barriers Identified 4 2. Institutional Barriers Identified 6 3. Individual Barriers Identified 8 Enabling factors 10 Key recommendations 11 List of Acronyms AAP accountability to affected populations CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CRSV Conflict-Related Sexual Violence DFID United Kingdom’s Department for International Development GBV gender-based violence GBV SC Gender-Based Violence Sub Cluster HCT Humanitarian Country Team HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HR Human Resources HR WG Human Resources Working Group HRP Humanitarian Response Plan IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee ICCG Inter-Cluster Coordination Group IOM International Organization for Migration INGO International Non-Governmental Organization KIIs Key Informant Interviews MHM menstrual hygiene management NNGO National Non-Governmental Organization OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OPDs Organizations of Persons with Disabilities PEP Post-Exposure Prophylaxis PGDs Participatory Group Discussions POC Protection of Civilians PSEA Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse SEA Sexual Exploitation and Abuse SSP South Sudanese Pounds TWG Technical Working Group STIs Sexually Transmitted Infections UNCT United Nations Country Team UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan UNDSS United Nations Department for Safety and Security USD United States Dollar WASH water, sanitation, and hygiene WASH DoG Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Donor Group WHO World Health Organization Closing the Gender Gap in the WASH Sector - Abridged Research (2020) i Women and men hand pump mechanics work together to repair a borehole in Wau, Western Bahr el Gazal, South Sudan. ©IOM 2020 / Andreea CÂMPEANU Introduction In order to deliver effective water, sanitation and hygiene and should be created to promote equal participation for (WASH) services to more than three million people in women within this sector at the leadership, technical, and need in South Sudan,1 humanitarians and agencies must community levels. The United Kingdom’s Department for actively support more women to enter the WASH sector International Development (DFID) funded the project. at all levels; only then will WASH programming effectively 2 meet the needs of different genders. Improving women’s This research emphasizes the role women play as active participation in the WASH sector puts existing policy participants in humanitarian assistance, rather than into motion and fulfils commitments made by the WASH examining their engagement from the perspective of passive Cluster in the South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan “beneficiaries”. The research examines current initiatives, (HRP) and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) challenges, and opportunities to enhance women’s standards. participation. The core question for this research was: What factors impact women’s ability to actively Guided by a commitment to ensure gender equality and participate in the provision of humanitarian WASH promote women’s empowerment, the International services in South Sudan in paid and unpaid roles, and Organization for Migration (IOM) identified persistent how can these factors be addressed in a practical, challenges with implementation of such commitments. As conflict-sensitive manner? a response, in 2019, IOM and RedR United Kingdom (UK) carried out field research to examine the participation of The current WASH sector commitments to women’s women in the WASH sector in South Sudan. Specifically, participation are: the research looked at how and why better conditions can South Sudan HRP 2020: IASC Gender Handbook WASH: IASC gender-based violence Sectoral Objective Identify opportunities to challenge structural inequalities (GBV) Guidelines for 4: Mitigate WASH- between women and men, and to promote women’s WASH: related GBV based on leadership within the WASH programme. Involve women and other safety audits conducted at-risk groups as staff by female staff with South Sudan accountability to affected population (AAP) and leaders in the siting, women, girls and WASH Checklist: design, construction and children for WASH 2.7 Partners have agreed strategic actions or policy to maintenance of WASH activities adequately improve equity of women WASH staff and community facilities and in hygiene planned. members in WASH programming. promotion activities. 1 South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan 2020 www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/south-sudan/document/south-sudan-2020-humanitarian-response-plan-12- dec-2019. 2 This version is an abridged version of the full research report. A Programme Guide, created as part of this research, further supports staff and agencies to implement the recommendations. Closing the Gender Gap in the WASH Sector - Abridged Research (2020) 1 Research Methods IOM and RedR UK conducted this research